My invention relates to a device for transforming a plurality of disorderly advanced, upright containers into a single row, which containers have an arbitrary circumference and are advanced on a buffer path, said device comprising a plurality of conveyors driven in a common direction. This transformation into alignment is necessary for performing particular operations with the containers, like a filling operation.
The conventional transformation devices operate according to the storage principle; the containers being advanced to a wedge-shaped space with the view of discharging the containers one by one and obtaining in this manner the single row aimed at. In this wedge-shaped space a retention of the containers is produced, while the conveyors continue to move under the almost stationary containers.
Such a transformation system is known in various versions and it functions satisfactorily when the containers have a smooth cylindrical outer circumference as is mostly the case with bottles and tins. Quite another situation arises as soon as the containers have an arbitrarily shaped circumference or when they are cylindrical but have a very rough outer surface. Under these circumstances the containers will be compressed into an immobile mass; the conveyors keep moving under the containers, but are incapable to transport any container.